Automatic heat-controlling regulator



, 6 1,605,669 J. J. LAWLER AUTOMATIC HEAT CONTROLLING REGULATOR FiledJan. 14, 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet l Nov. 2 1926.

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Nov. 2 1926.

`.|. J. LAWLER AUTOMATIC HEAT CONTROLLING REGULATOR Filed Jan. 14, 19263 SheetS-Sheet 2,.

l v smite@ l l J." '.Lnr/Zefr 3 v m MW 6 J. J. LAWLER AUTOMATIC HEATCONTROLJING REGULATOR Filed Jan. 14, '1926 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Nov. 2,1926. l 1,605,669

mutex J. J; Layla.

? Jmw Patented Nov.' 2. 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

AUTOMATIC HEAT-CONTROLLING REGULATOR.

Application yfiled January 14, 1926. Serial No. 81,332.l

This invention relates toy certain new and useful improvements/in'automatic heat controlling regul/ator/s, and while the invention isadaptable/for regulating and controlling 5.1heat/or various purposes,the same is primarily designed as a controlling and operating device forthe valve that controls the iow of heating medium through a radiator tomaintain a constant temperature of air surrounding the' regulator withina room or other compartment.

Among other objects of the invention is to provide improvements in thegeneral art to which this invention relates, more particularljT withreference to the patent granted to James J. Lawler on September 29,1925, bearing No. 1,555,592.

The invention primarily relating to an automatic heat controllingregulator for radiators, it is intended that the regulator beingassociated with the inlet valve for the radiator and in differentinstallations of such radiators, it is essential that this regulator be`freely adjustable relative to the radiator valve, a fluid-tightconnection' being established between the regulator and valve casing andembodying a tensioning element for holding the regulator in its adjustedposition and eliminating .the employment of any other form of hold-fastdevices.

With the above and other objects in view which will become apparent asthe nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists ofthe novel form, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter morefully described, shown in the accompanying drawings and claimed.

In the drawings, wherein like reference .characters designatecorrespondingu parts throughout the several views,

Vradiator showing the regulator disposed at the valve operating leverandv the thermodiator equipped with the automatic heat controllingregulator with the latter extending in the same vertical planegwith theradiator, and f Figure-/Sisfanl'end elevational viewl of the o5 anangular position with respect to the radiator for occupying a remoteposition.

In the accompanying drawings which show the preferred embodiment of thepresent invention, and with particular reference to Figs. 7 and 8, thereference numeral 1 designates the radiator of the type usually employedas heating devices, there being provided a supply pipe 2 for conveyingthe heating medium to the radiator thru the valve casing 3 while said'radiator has an outlet pipe 4 connected thereto with a steam trap 5 orsimilar device interposed-between the radiator and outlet pipe 4. t

The construction of the valve caslng 3 is 80 shown more clearly in Fig.1, said valve casingbeing of the globe type and including a valve seat 6.alined with the cage 7 positioned thereabove and removably mounted inthe` valve casing, and withl which cage, a valve is associated. Thevalve 8 for closing upon the seat 6 as shown in Fig. 1 is carried by atubular stem 9 that extends upwardly through a central opening in thebottom wall of the cage 7 and the open upper end of said valve stem 9receives a threaded plug 10 carrying an annular flange 11 outwardly ofthe valve stem while acoil spring 12 surrounds the valve stem betweenthe flange 11 and bottom wall 7` of the valve cage 7. Under influence ofthe spring 12, the valve 8 has a tendency to be normally unseated whilethe opening movement of said valve is limited by the cap 13 that isremovably threaded upon the upper end of the cage`7, a fluidtightdiaphragm 14 being interposed between the upper end of the valve cageand cap 13 to prevent the escape of any heating medium around thevalvestem. The flange 11 carried by the closure plug 10 for the valvestem works in the fashion of a piston against th inner wall of thel'valve cage '7 ls will at once be understood from an inoi Eig. 1, sothat the valve 8 is condandy alined with its seat 6.

'llgierantopmtic hezlllt coltrolling regulstor issnA ro upon t e va vecasing 3 an is dirtly supported upon the cap 13, said cap having acentral opening surrounded by an externally threaded tubular m 15, thelwer externalface pli. ilvhich is laned 'or supporting in e ee y rer,theA bottom wallll l? of te reguatnrming. Thetop wa 1 o te casing isspaced from the bottom wall by the enel side wall 18 that is perforatedover its entire surface as at 19 as shown in Figs. 7 and 8 to permit afree circulation of air the casin'g,the general design and tion of thetop and bottom wallsmd sfide wall of the casing being :ilown moreclearly in Figs. 2, 3, 7, and 8. One end of the bottom plate 16 of theregu-f htm' is rovided with an opening for le mgmt-,ing upon the tubularwith the other en d of the casing being positioned laterally of thevalve easing 3. To permit relatively free adjustment of the tor casing"upon the tubular boss 15 and to retain said casing in its adjustedposition, there is provided a channelfshaped s that is internallythreaded for edengngementwith the upper end of the boss 15, said ringbeing" retained in on on the hess by the stud screw 21 @ing peretingthreaded recesses in ed.k

jenem# of the boss and ring, this connes non te i, eimrly shown inFig.' 1. A spring is enclosed by the channel-shaped .ring i .i i at itsopposite ends, the ring and bottom wall 16 of the regulator casing, sindis etionally retained in its adiusted on upon the cap 13. A

Devices are provided for manually conthe valve 8 and include a cupplug23 'eely slidable` within the boss 15 with the lower end of said plugthe diaphragm 14 and the upper sideof the plug 10 in the upper end ofthe valve stem. A coil spring 24 within the 23 engages the lower end ofsaid 'plug m at its opp-er end supp-:arts a hanged block 2h. lever 23 isfullermned upon the pin 27 that is supported in spaced ears 28, one endof the lever 26 overlying the block 25 as drown in F 1. verticallyalined with the block is an upstanding internally thread'- ed 29 carriedb y the cover 17 of the regnletor seeing end ne whieh hess en operet-'ing rod 30 isq threaded, the disk head or han- Me 31 of mid rod beingemployed for raising and lowering the seme to engage the end of the @verpositioned therebeneath for W the bl e123 downwardly against the tensionof the spring 24 to cause the cupshaped plug 23 to be lowered to engagethe plug 10 at the upper end of the valve stem 9 to close the valve 8upon its seat 6. It will, hereforc, bev seen that the valve 8 'may bemanually controlled while the opening movement of said valve may beregulated by adjusting the rod relative to the adjacent end ofthe lever26. Y

The 'automatic operation of the lever 26 to eect closing movement of thevalve 8 is occasioned by thermostatically controlled devices associatedwii'h the opposite end of said lever and the onterswinging end of theregulator casing. The bottom wall 16 of the regulator casing adjacentthe outer swinging vam end thereof is provided with a threaded"- openingthat receivesa jamb nut 32 that carries a tubular member 33, the lowerend of the tubular member 33 being externally threaded for reception inthe threaded socket positioned centrally of the shell 34 to support theJlatter, said shell being further serpured to the lower end of saidtubular membeby'thering"enclosing the lower end thereof and being swagedolf-otherwise secured thereto. The shell 34 being of hollow formation,the bottom wall 36 thereof is pro? 'vided with n central dependingnipple 37 closed by a screw cap 38, the interior chamber 39 of saidshell communicating with the tubular member 33 by means of the opening40 in the upper wall of the shell, this construction being clearly shownin Fig. 1 of the drawings. A plurality of stand pipes V41 closed ettheir upper ends have their lower yopen ends seated in openings in theupper wall et the shell 34 y a screw' threaded engagement so thatcommunication' between the tubular member 33, stand pipes 41 and shell34 is established.

The horizontally corrugated tubular expansive member 42 is positioned inthe tubular member 43, the lower end thereof being suitably secured tothe lower end of the tubular member while the upper end of the expansivemember receives a closure plug 43 that is permanently secured therein ina tluidi A tight manner. A wear plate 44 is removably attached to theplug 43 and is provided with a angey extending in line' with the upperend of the tubinafr member 33 so that when the expansive member 42contracts the weer plate 44 will limit such movement as will at once beapparent from an inspection or l! 1g, l or thev drawings.

As shown in Fig.` 3, that end of the lever .26 ad'acent and above thewear plate 4 4 is for ed to provide spaced arms-45 having end openingslots for freely supporting the screw pins 46 that are carried by y thenut 47 as shownin' Fig. 4. A reg ulating screw 48 is adjustablylthreaded thropgh the nut 47 and the upper end ci' said; screw is freelyslidablein the tubular box 49 carried by the top wall 17 of theregulator casing, the upper end of the tubular boss 49 being closed bythe screw cap 50. The cap 50 may be removed and a suitable instrumentengaged in the kerf at the upper end of the screw 40 for adjusting thesame relative to the wear plate 44 upon the plug 43. Access to theinterior of the regulator casingfor repair or other purposes is possibleby removing themupper wall 1G thereof upon loosening the anchoringscrews 51 while a free circulation of air through the regulator casingis permitted by the provision of the openings 19 in the side wall 18.Air is also permitted to circulate through the shell 34 by the provisionof the openings 52 in said `shell positioned be# tween the stand pipes41 as shown in Fig. 6 and as a further means of anchoring the tubularmember 33 to said shell, there is also illustrated in Fig. 6 screwanchored ears 53 carried by the ring 35.

The shell 34, expansive member 42 and stand pipes 41 are filled with aluid,sueh as j oil through the nipple 37. The effective length of. throwor movement of the lever 26 that 1s automatically moved upon its fulcrumpoint 27 by expansion of the member 32 is regulatedl by adjusting thescrew* post 48 in the nut 47 and as illustrated in Fig. 1, saidexpansive member 42 is extend.- ed with the wear plate 44 engaging thelower end of the screw post with the lever 26 engaging and depressingthe cup-shapedplug 23 for lowering the valve 8 against the tension ofthe spring 12 upon its seat'. The

-expansive member 42 being thermostatically controlled in its operationby the surrounding temperature of the atmosphere affecting the fluidhermetica-lly sealed therein, said expansive member 42 will contractupon a lowering degree Sof temperature which will move the wear plate 44downwardly and be limited in such movement by engaging the upper end ofthe tubular member 33,

during which movement, the s ring 12 engaging the bot-tom wail 7a o thecage 7 and the flange 11 upon the plug 1() will elevate the valve 8 fromits seat and also elevate the cup-shaped plug 23. It will, therefore, beseen that by manual adjustment of the screw post 48 the temperature ofthe .atmosphere surrounding the heat controlling regulator may be`maintained constant while the valve `8 is automatically opened andclosed as required. In order to retain tne valve 8 closed upon its seat,irrespective of surrounding temperatures, the stem 30 is lowered throughthe upper wall`17 of the regulator casing to engageithe adjacent end ofthe lever 2G for manually closing tne valve upon its seat. By theprovision ofthe cup-shaped plug 23 and the spring supported block 25interposed between said plug and lever 26, excessive wear and strain onthe only work against the spring supported block 25 and in no mannerinjure the cupshaped plug 23 or the valve and its seat. Also, by theprovision of the channel-shaped ring 20 and the spring 22 enclosedthereby that cooperates with the bottom wall 16 of the regulator casingand the cap 13, the entire regulator structure may be freely shifted toassume various positions relative to the radiator 1 as illustrated inFigs. 7 and 8 sothat various installations of the radiators may beaccomplished with the regulator accommodating itself to 'variouspositions relative to the radiator. It will also be un- "derstood froman-inspection of Figs. 3 and 4 that movement of the expansive member 42and screw post 48 will be -in direct alinement, which movement ispermitted by the slotted arms 45 at one end of the lever 26, freelysupporting the nut 47. The wear plate 44 may also be. removed from theplug 43 for -replacement when desired, while access to the interior oftheregulator casing is obtained upon removal of the cover 17 when theanchoring'bolts 51 are released.

By the provision of the openings or air passages 52 in the shell 34,there'isl an increased radiating surface that renders the thermostatmore sensitive to surrounding air temperatures of a room and insures thecorrect operation of the valve 8 upon changes in temperatures tomaintain a constant room temperature for which the regulator has beenset. The arrows illustrated on Figs. 5 and 6 indicate the direction ofair flow through the shell openings 52.

While there is herein shown and described the preferred embodiment ofthe 4present invention, it is nevertheless to be understood that minorvchanges may be `made therein without departing from the spirit andscope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed iszf 1. In an automatic heat controlling regulator, avalve casing, a cage mounted in said casing, a reciprocating valvecarried by the cage, a spring in the cage for opening the valve, a capon the cage,"a tubular boss carried by the cap in axial alinement withthe valve, a tensioned actuator freely mounted in saidboss, a laterallyprojecting thermostaticvalve regulator unit'vpivotally mount! ed on saidcap and boss and operatively engaging said actuator, and a tensionedmember associated with the boss and regulator unit for frictionallyholding the latter" in adjusted positions.

2. In an automatic heat controlling regu` lator, a valve casing, a cagemounted in said casing, a reciprocating valve carried by the cage, aspring in the cage for opening the valve, a cap on the cage,a tubularboss carried by the cap in axial alinement With the valve, a tensionedactuator freely /mounted in said boss, a laterally pro'ect'ingthermostatic valve regulator unitpivotally mounted on said cap and bossand operatively engaging said actuator, and a tensioned mem-' f valve, atensioned actuator freely mounted in said boss, a laterally projectingthermostatic valve regulator unit plvotally mounted on said cap and bossand operatively engaging said actuator, a tensioned member associatedwith the boss and regulator unit for frictionally holding the latter inadjusted positions, said regulatonunit comprising a fulcrumed lever withone end above the actuator, and a manually operable stem for engagingthel lever to operate the actuator to hold the valve upon its seat.

4. In an automatic heat controlling regulator, a valve casing, a cagemounted in said casing, a reciprocating'valve carried by the cage, aspring in'the cage for opening the valve, a ca'p on the cage, a tubularboss carried by the cap in axial alinement with the yalve, a tensionedactuator freely mounted 1n said boss, a laterally projectingthermostatic valve regulator unit pivotally mounted on said cap and.boss and operatively engaging saidactuator, a tensioned memberassociated with the boss and regulator unit for frictionally holding thelatter in adjusted positions, said actuator. including a cupshaped plug,and a spring supported block in-theplug interposed'between the plug andcooperative part of the regulator unit.

5. uIn an automatic heat controlling regulator, avalve casing, a cagemounted in said casmg, a reciprocating valve carried by the cage, aspring in thel cage for opening the valve, a cap on the cage, a tubularboss carried by the cap in axial alinement with the valve. a tensionedactuator freely mounted in said boss, a laterally projectingthermostaticy valve regulator unit pivotally mounted 'on Said'cap andboss and operatively engaging said actuator, a tensioned memberassociated With the boss and regulator unit for frictionally holding thelatter in adjusted positions, said regulator unit comprising a ful'crumed lever with one end above the actuator, said actuator including acup-shaped y plug, and a spring supported block in the plug interposedbetween the plug and coopcrative part of the regulator unit.

6. In an automatic heat controlling-'lre'g- -ulator, awva'lve casing,ar'cage mounted /int said casing, la reciprocgting valve carried by thecage, a spring in the cage for opening-the valve, acap on the cage, atubular boss carried by the cap in axial alinement .f with the valve, atensioned actuator freely mounted in said boss, a laterally projectingthermostatic valve regulator unit pivotally mounted on said ca-p andboss and operatively engaging said actuator, a tensioned memberassociated with the boss and regulator unit for frictionally holding thelatter in adjusted positions, said regulator unit comprising a fulcrumedlever with one end above the actuator, a manually operable stem forengaging the lever. to operate the actuator to hold vthe valve upon itsseat, said actuator including a cup-shaped plug, and a spring lsupportedbloclr in the plug interposed between the plug and cooperative part ofthe regulator unit. j j

7 `In an automatic heat controlling regulator, a valve casing, a cagemounted in said casing, a reciprocating valve carried by tlie cage, aspring in the cage for opening the valve, a cap on the cage, a tubularboss carried by the cap in axial alinement with the valve, a tensionedactuator freely mounted .in said boss, a laterally projectingthermostatic valve regulator unitpivotally mounted 7on said cap and bossand operatively engaging said actuator, a tensioned member associatedwith the boss and regulator unit for frictionally holding the latter inadjusted positions, said regulator nit comprising a fulcrumed lever withone end above the actuator, and a thermostatically expansive -fluidcontaining member engaging the adja` casing, a reciprocating valvecarried by the cage. a tubular boss carried by the cap in axialalinement with the valve, a tensioned actuator freely mounted in saidboss, a laterally projecting thermostatic valve regulator unit pivotallymounted on said cap and bossand operatively engaging said actuator, atensioned member associated with the b oss and regulator unit forfrictionally'holding the latter= in adjusted positions, said regulatorunit comprising a fulcrumed lever with one end above the actuator, amanually operable stem for engaging the lever to operate the actuator tohold the valve upon its seat,

and a thermostatieally expansive fluid containing member engaging theadjacent end of the lever for the automatic operation of 125 cage', aspring in the cage'for opening the 130 valve, a cap on the cage, atubular boss carried by the cap in axial alinement with the valve, atensioned actuator freely mounted in said boss, a laterally projectingthermostatic valve regulator unit pivotally mounted on said cap and bossand operatively engaging said actuator, a tensioned member associatedwith the boss and regulator unit for frictionally holding the latter inadjusted positions, said regulator unit comprising a fulcrumed leverwith one end above the actuator, a thermostatically expansive fluid con?taining member engaging the adjacent end ot' the lever for the automaticoperation ot the valve, and an adjustable screw post associated with thelever above the expansive member for varying the operative length ofmovement of the regulating mechanism.

l0. In an automatic heat controlling regulator, a valve casing, a cagemounted in said casing, a reciprocating valve carried by` the cage, atubular boss carried by the cap in axial alinement with the valve, atensioned actuator freely mounted in said boss, a laterally projectingthermostatic valve regulator unit pivotally mounted on said cap and bossand operatively engaging said actuator, a tensioned member associatedwith the boss and regulator unit for frictionally holding the latter inadjusted positions, said regulator unit comprising a fulcrumed lever`with one end above the actuator, a manually operable stemvtor engagingthe lever to operate the actuator to hold the valve upon its seat, athermostatically expansive fluid containing member engaging the adjacentend A of the lever for theautomatic operation of the valve, and anadjustable screw post associated with the lever above the expansivemember for varying the operative length of movementof the regulatingmechanism.

ll. In an automatic heat controlling regulator, a valve casing, a cagemounted `in said casing, a reciprocating valve carried by the ca e, aspring in the cage for opening the va ve, a cap on the cage, a tubularboss carried by the cap in axial alinementwith the valve, a tensionedactuator 'freely mounted in said boss, a laterally projectingthermostatic valve regulator unit pivotally mounted on said cap and bossand operative- -ly engaging said actuator, a tensioned memf berassociated with the boss and regulator unit for frictionally holding thelatter in adjusted positions, said actuator includin y a cup-shapedplug, a spring supported bloei in the plug interposed between the plugand cooperatlve part of the regulator, unit, said tensioned memberincluding a ring attached to the vboss above a movable part of. the

regulator unit and a spring interposed between the ring and adjacentpart of the regulator unit for frictionaily holding the regulator unitin any adjusted position.

12. In an automatic heat controlling regulator, a valve casing, a cagemounted in said casing, a reciprocating valve carri-ed by the cage, aspring in the cage 'for opening the valve, a cap on the cage, a tubularboss carried by the cap in axial alinement with the valve, a tensionedactuator ed in said boss, a laterally projecting thermostatic valveregulator unit pivotally mounted on said cap and boss and operativelyengaging said actuator, a tensioned member associated with the boss andregulator unit for frictionally holding the latter in adjustedpositions, said regulator unit comprising a fulcrumed lever with one endabove the actuator, said actuator including a cup-shaped plug, a springsupported block in the plug interposed ,between the plug and cooperativepart of the regulator unit, said tensioned member including a ringattached to the boss above a movable part ci? the regulator unit and aspring interposed between the ring and adjacent part of the regulatorunit for frictionally holding the regulator unit in vany adjustedposition.

13. In an automatic heat controlling regulator, a valve casing, a cagemounted in said' ,casing, a reciprocating valve carried by the cage, aspring in the cage for opening the valve, a cap on the cage, atubularboss carried by the cap in axial alinement with the valve, atensioned actuator freely mounted in said boss, a laterally projectingthermostatic valve regulator unit pivotally mounted on said cap and bossand operativelyengaging said actuatora tensioned member associated withthe boss and regulator unit for frictionally holding the latter inadjusted positions, said regulator unit comprising a fulcrumed leverwith one end above the actuator, a manually operable stem for engagingthe lever to operate the actuator to hold the valve upon its seat, saidactuator including a cup-shaped plug, a spring supported block in theplug interposed between the plug and cooperative part of the regulatorunit, said tensioned member including a ring attached to the boss abovea movable part of the regulator unit and a freely mountjacent parto theregulator unit for frictionally holding the regulator unit in anyadjusted position.

14. In'an automatic heat controllingy regulator, a valve casing, saidcasing, a reciprocating valve carried by the cage, a spring in the cagefor opening the valve, a cap, on the cage, a tubular boss carried by thecap in axial alinement with the valve, a tensionedaetuator freelymounted in said boss, a laterally projectlng thermostatic valve'regulator unit pivotally mounted on said cap and boss and operativelyengaging said actuator, a tensioned member associated with .the boss andregulator unit for frictionally holding the latter in adjustedpositions, and independently opera-l" ble devices for manually holdingthe valve closed on its seat, and regulating the length of movement ofthe devices for automatically closing the valve.

l5. In an automatic heat controlling regulator, a valve casing, a vcagemounted in said casing, a reciprocating valve carried'by the cage, aspring in the cage for opening the valve, a cap on the cage, a tubular`boss carried by the cap 4in axial alinement With the valve, a tensionedactuator freely mounted in said boss, a, laterally projectingthermostatic valve regulator unit pivotally mountgaging said actuator, atensioned member associated with the boss and regulator unit forfrictionally holdinof the latter in adjusted positions, said regu atorunit comprising a fulcrumed lever Wit-h one end above'the actuator, andindependently operable devices for manually4 holding the valve closed on-its seat, and regulating the length of movement of .the devices forautomatically closing the valve.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature;

JAMES' J. LAWLERI

